The hunt for
robert culliford
A Review of a Pirate Tale with Depth, Heart, and Historical Bite
The Hunt for Robert Culliford is not your typical pirate adventure. Where most books lean only on swashbuckling clichés, this one brings something richer: careful historical research woven into a gripping, character-driven story.
Robert Culliford, long overshadowed by his rival Captain Kidd, comes alive here as a complex figure — educated, sharp, and quietly commanding, a man who inspires loyalty without needing to bellow. The book captures not only the salt and thunder of sea life but also the inner weather of its characters — their philosophies, doubts, camaraderie, and rebellion against the world’s corrupt systems.
The chapters breathe with Patrick O’Brian–like detail: the creak of timbers, the dialects of crewmen from every corner of the Isles, the taste of bitter coffee on deck at dawn. Yet there’s also myth and wonder: tales of “monkey people” in the Andamans, whispered legends, and the hidden truths about law, power, and jury nullification that anchor the narrative.
It’s rare to find a book that’s equal parts adventure, philosophy, and history lesson, but this one pulls it off. Fans of seafaring fiction will feel right at home, but so will readers who want to glimpse the deeper tides that shaped the 17th century — and maybe still shape us now.
About
mitch mitchell
Mitch Mitchell is a sailor, historian, and storyteller with deep ancestral ties to Robert Culliford, the pirate who outwitted Captain Kidd and tangled with the Crown. Drawing on years of research into 17th-century archives, family records, and East India Company accounts, Mitchell brings Culliford’s forgotten story vividly to life.
A lifelong mariner, Mitchell has sailed the Chesapeake, the Great Lakes, and beyond, always with an eye on the wind and a book of sea history within reach. His career as an entrepreneur in early wireless technology gave him a front-row seat to how global trade, communication, and power still mirror the dynamics of the Age of Sail.
When not writing or speaking about pirates, Mitchell can be found charting new ventures under the Culliford’s Coffee brand, blending literature, history, and commerce — just as his seafaring ancestors once did with sails, spices, and secrets. The Hunt for Robert Culliford is his first book in a planned series.
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Upcoming Events
Annapolis sailboat show
Come join us in booth L5 for the launching of our new book The Hunt for Robert Culliford October 9-12 at the Annapolis Sailboat Show, along with Culliford’s Coffee. We are bringing a select blend of coffee from around the world. Each bag comes with a nautical theme bringing only the best coffees from around the world. Join our crew of coffee lovers who want only the best experience and flavor.
- 1 - October 9-12, 9am to 7pm.
